The Train master - Idea

[NykylaiHellray]

(EDIT: Idea for expanding. Early america was a mix of cultures, and grand central could refelct this. Insperations from grand central, could mix london, paris and new york)


Name: Grand Central
Location: Plaines of lost innocence
Darklord: The TrainMaster

Description: A victorian esque boom town (think industrial revolution), all built around the monlithic trainstation. Many buildings are built onto the trainstation. (in london many shops are built in the miny arches of the train bridges).

Many of the citizens are so wrapped up in there own greed and extravigance, that they hardly even know that there land no longer is apart of the great wheel. There so ignorant and wrapped in there delusions that they will fail to ever know the truth. So there continue with there petty lives contiusly drinking.

There are many places in this city, one is the famous distallery, which makes the famous whisky "Ravens Blood".

The Train Master is one of the only beings which knows where he really is. Though he is constantly in despair, he makes his curse to his advantage.
He has great joy in sending his trains to other places outside of the demiplane of doom to pull in new people for his city.

Every lost soul increases his power.

People in the grand central give in to there sins, there darkest desires. Brofels and pubs occupy every street corner. The finer things in life is what they desire, drowing there despiar with alchohol and sex.

Some say out of all of ravenloft, it is one of the better places to be....yet they dont really know what they are talking about. Sure there may be more fun, but the same despair, the same torture still fills there souls. These people just choose to find ways to ignore it, if even it is just for a second of relief. A second that they do not despiar.



To enter the trainstation itself, is a sight to behold. The entrence would even make giants look up. Two columns shapped as grinning demns hold the arch of the door.

The ticket room, is more of a grandballroom then what one would expect as a place to get your tickets.

The walls and cielings are inlade with gold and rare gems, and paintings of amazing detail cover the walls. Works of art that seemed to have taken millenia to construct. Though when one looks closer at these portraits, they are no longer things of beutry, and have a darkned feel to them. One that sends shivers down your spine.


The most odd part of this station, is that when one enters the platforms, it size boggles the mind. A size far larger then the city...or even the plaine of lost inncocence itself. A feet that boogges the mind, and one wonders what magic has created it.

Some have wondered if the inside of the station is a plane all on its own, locked iside the demiplane of dread like a hidden treasure.

Though this theroy is ridiciolous, one must think that the dark powers made it this way for a reason.


There is also a huge tower which extends above the skys, and is said to be seen no matter where you are in the plaines of lost inncocence, like an overbearig watch tower. A place for the trainmaster to keep an eye on his domain.

Other possible places for Grand central
An underground sewer city, built benath grand central.
This could be an interesting way to place other beings into ravenloft.

Maybe for example drow....who usually love extravigence (I think), and now forced to live in filth.....meh it is an idea.


A hotel of horrors.


A sweeny todd esque being, the barber and the butcher crafting fine pork pies.

Dr Jeckal and Mr Hyde

A possible load of graverobbers "ressurectionists" forbidden necromancers and surgeons.

A jack the ripper esque charecter


The idea is though it is in an american landscape, gran central will remain very english. Very victorian london.


Club of the Green Fairy - Based on the Absinthe cafes of old paris.
Maybe could be run by an insane seductress dark lord who used to be fairy maybe =/



Weapons of tech rule
Like said prior, previously impossible items can be obtained here. All ina steam industrial revolution feel (howls moving castle may have some slight ideas). Though whenever an item from this realm is taken outside the plaines of lost innocence it will start to degrade at an axcellerated pace. Or the magic which holds it together will just cease to function. This is because the magic of this domain is far stronger then normal, and so when it is taken outside the enviorment the change in reality proved to much for the weapons and items in question.


Trains in ravenloft
Every place in ravenoft potentially has a train to grand central. Though this is not as easy as it sounds. Because of the poor relationship between dark lords. Trainstaions are not usually liked.

Therefore trainstations are hidden within the plane, and to discover it one must will to see it.

For example one may see an old broken down house, whoch may look like nothing. Though in reality is the station, to see it one must take a will test. If you pass your belief that it is there will make the place reveal itself. If you fail you must find an alternate route.

[Ronia Sun]

Hm. I've considered adding trains my own self...I think it's a great idea--as is the Old West/Grand Central idea.

'Course, if I do this, I will get mercilessly teased by my players, who already pick on me for being obsessed with Victorian era tech.

Then again, they already pick on me about it, so why not?

I've toyed with the idea of adding trains to the Core itself--all right, sure, not all the domains are the proper cultural level, but I imagine with some fast-talking diplomacy among some of the more open-minded darklords an inter-realm railway might come into being... Strahd would certainly refuse the idea, but some of the others, if they bother with that sort of thing, might allow it for trade purposes.

And just imagine the train delays when a darklord closes the borders...

[Waldi]

Inside the core, I could imagine a railway-network in the modern domains of the west, Darkon and possibly Falknovia (Drakov would love the idea of transporting troops incredibly fast by train !)

[NykylaiHellray]

Hm. I've considered adding trains my own self...I think it's a great idea--as is the Old West/Grand Central idea.

'Course, if I do this, I will get mercilessly teased by my players, who already pick on me for being obsessed with Victorian era tech.

Then again, they already pick on me about it, so why not?

I've toyed with the idea of adding trains to the Core itself--all right, sure, not all the domains are the proper cultural level, but I imagine with some fast-talking diplomacy among some of the more open-minded darklords an inter-realm railway might come into being... Strahd would certainly refuse the idea, but some of the others, if they bother with that sort of thing, might allow it for trade purposes.

And just imagine the train delays when a darklord closes the borders...

Well grand central basically is victorian, so your obsessions are MORE then welcome here ^______________________^


EDIT: Waldi for the bandits I think it will make sense to give them the pistoler PrC, and have them mounted on Nightmare horses.

[Undead Cabbage]

Cool stuff.

I've always wanted to add Otto Von Bismark's allegory of 'Blood and Iron' to Falkovnia.

Which realms would the train touch? All of them? Personally, I'd like to see Falkovnia, Nosos, Paridon, Lamordia, and Richumelot touched by this thing.Of course, I'm kind of biased as I've always been one of those people who blabs on about Ravenloft's Cultural Levels being too low.

I like the idea of 'The Wendigo Trail'. Would it be appropriate to add even a creature like the supposed Wendigo here? Perhaps a mist creature that was once a powerful Shaman of Verbrek?

[NykylaiHellray]

Cool stuff.

I've always wanted to add Otto Von Bismark's allegory of 'Blood and Iron' to Falkovnia.

Which realms would the train touch? All of them? Personally, I'd like to see Falkovnia, Nosos, Paridon, Lamordia, and Richumelot touched by this thing.Of course, I'm kind of biased as I've always been one of those people who blabs on about Ravenloft's Cultural Levels being too low.

I like the idea of 'The Wendigo Trail'. Would it be appropriate to add even a creature like the supposed Wendigo here? Perhaps a mist creature that was once a powerful Shaman of Verbrek?

O.O I really liked the wendigo idea.


Inspired me to write a story on the history of the plaines of lost innocence ^______________^


The Plaines of lost Innocence

History

In times long ago, this was land dedicated to the worship of nature. To spirits of animals and plants, and very ancient gods.

The people prospered here, and for a time it was good. The hunt always provided a bounty of food, they never went hungry. The waters where always pure, and so they never went thirsty.


It was known as the Plaines of innocence.

Then others came, people bringing technology. Bringing things which were different. Godless machines, using technology to make them work.

They drove the natives from the land, and settled here. Food started to go scarce and the water started to go black.

The new people also brought with them disease which poisoned the natives.

The war of the wendigo

The natives where angry and desired there land and there freedom back. The shaman of this the snakebite tribe rallied all the tribes of the Plaines. In the hope of one last effort.

This war lasted for many days and many nights. Though on the fifth it’s conclusion came to a close.

Both sides where exhausted and the rotting carcasses of the fallen pulsated and festered on the battleground.

The shaman had one last gambit. Though it cost him his soul.

He crept into the mountains with the remainders of his followers, and an ancient ceremony was preformed.

For an hour they danced, carving ancient sigils and charms into there flesh.

Then one by one the followers slit there own throats over a bowl of bone and stone.

He then put into the mixture ancient spices, opening vials that had not been undone for hundreds of years. Opening things which where never meant to be undone.

He then begged the spirits of nature to come to his aid, using all the debts that nature owed the tribes. Calling on ancient gods, and even more ancient demons. He summoned force great magic to transform him into a warrior for his people.

Then the heavens opened and magic from the skies and the lands crackled from there domains like dancing serpents made of colours not found on the rainbow. Colours of magic which cannot be comprehended by the mortal mind.

They flowed into the bowel, until the blood bubbled and boiled. The mixture turning black and green, then purple and red. Seething with power, flowing with magick.

Then he drank it, waving humanity goodbye.

Black lightning gathered and struck his mortal form. The dead then rose and wandered towards him, forming a cocoon of flesh and bone. The souls of the dead and nature united by one ego, for one cause.

The demon then awoke.

Like a giant it tore through the flesh, and upon wings composed of dead mans skin flew into the sky.

It screamed with its new throat, like a banshees wail, it tore into the souls of men.

It flew into the battlefield, though because of the transformation, no longer knew friend from foe.

It killed as many natives as it did the enemies it was meant to kill in the first place.

For nights after it ravaged the land, like an unstoppable beast.

So an union was made. The remaining shaman and the wizards that the newcomers took with them joined forces, in constructing a way to contain the beast.

They made a cave, between Arkendale to Redwood-County using spells from both there cultures. Calling on the might of there combined gods.

The few brave warriors lured the beast to the place, and then the beast was contained.

Locked deep in the cave, and sealed for all time.


The place was forever known as wendigo trail.

For ten years a truce was made between the two people, and for a time this was good. Though this was not the only catasphroe to befall this land.


The Battle side at Squirrel-Peak

(story of the civil war)



When the train master came
The last part of this tale, is the one that finally sealed the death warrant on this land. The clincher of the deal one might say. The final reason making the dark powers decide that they needed to steal this land for there own.

It came in the form of one man, a man who wanted to make his fortune in steal and steam.

It was called the railway. Though trains have been seen in other countries before. This train was new. It would allow any place in the great wheel to be reached. The ultimate train system. For people who did not posses the powers to be plain walkers themselves.

He was once a grand engineer and researcher into plane walking. He train an amazing feet of modern magical engineering. It was meant to change lives, bring tourism to the Plaines from every place imaginable in the great wheel, and more importantly it could make him famous. His name would be forever remembered, immortalised in books and in stone.

Though the darker side of this was the lives he built it upon. The first of these was his partner, who was the true inventor of the inter planer engine. So obsessed from being famous, he took credit for his partners research. He treated him like a slave, making him work as he got the glory. When the man tried to speak against his captor, he killed him. His usefulness was ended anyway, he had what he needed.

Though this was not the last life to be lost. Many lives where hurt in the building, and these where manly the slaves which built it.

After the last cival war, and the years of slow intergration into the new culture. They were so lost, and had forgotten so many of the old ways. They where no longer a threat. So were easily encouraged to build his trains.

There were a couple of tribes of course, but it made little diffence, progress continued and things went as planned.

On the grand opening bands played, and he smiled as he saw his masterpiece finally completed.

When it was turned on however things changed.

The engine proved unstable, time and space ripped asunder. The whole land roared as if it was a sleeping demon.

The dark powers then made there move and collected it. In a way they saved the land, though in a way they did not. Some would have wished they died there and then, and there land feel into oblivion, though they were not that lucky.

The trainmaster though, was made a deal with the dark powers. They would finish his masterpiece, make it work. All he had to do was gurantee a fresh amount of souls, all he had to do was make sure that when he sent his trains to the great wheel, many more ignorant souls would arise on his platforms.


(It is not finished and many events need to be added, also it needs to be fleshed out....but mere it is a start)

[Waldi]

I like the idea of 'The Wendigo Trail'. Would it be appropriate to add even a creature like the supposed Wendigo here? Perhaps a mist creature that was once a powerful Shaman of Verbrek?

Adding a wendigo was actually the plan And I like that ancient-ritual-idea NykylaiHellray posted !! Perhaps the feared "Bigfoot" that terrorises Redwood-County is no one else than the wendigo ?
Do we need more details about the settlers religion, or is it enough to say that their religion is very similar to protestant christianity ?

I've always wanted to add Otto Von Bismark's allegory of 'Blood and Iron' to Falkovnia.

I thought exactly about that ! But this is one of the few "prussian" elements, that would fit to Falknovia. When you compare the real historic Prussia of the 18nth and 19nth century to Falknovia, you will find that those two countrys have not much in common.

[Undead Cabbage]

Do we need more details about the settlers religion, or is it enough to say that their religion is very similar to protestant christianity ?

I'd actually try and tie the Ezran anchorites to it. Perhaps its changed quite a bit since it was founded, but really I've always viewed the Ezran faith as being like christianity, its sects in Dementlieu and Mordent being modelled off of protestant forms.

Perhaps they originated from Mordent with the settlers, but due to their isolation their doctrine soon began to change. Hence, some of the differences that arised between christianity in North-america and in Europe.

I'll admit that the Prussian interpretation of Falkovnia is more personal than canon. But either way, Drakov would probably make use of the train system much in the same way as Bismark did.

[Waldi]

OK, reformated anchorites sound great !! And settlers from Mordent would have some great advantages !

- they would keep a certain "anglosaxon" feeling
- and they would talk low-mordentish, therefore there wouldn´t be a great language-barriere
- the ties to the core would be stronger

Edit:
Aruxco - a southern domain in the Plains
Today, I happened to see the movie "From dusk till dawn III" in a videothek in Dresden...soon, I got the Idea of a small domain in the southern Plains that contains a very similar death-trap-saloon....
several hundred years ago, some of the natives lived in a large (aztec-like) citystate. The people of this city where cruel and wicked people (hated by all other native-tribes), who workshipped the vampiric dark god Camasotz. The Aruxco, as the city-dwellers called themself, used to raid the other tribes to capture virgins for their dark rituals. The high-priests of Camasotz where exclusively Vampires.
The Aruxco found their master when the first invaders arrived. The armored knights and musketeers leveled the city of Aruxco and plundered the gold from the temple-pyramids. The vampire-priests where forced to hide underground....and even today, they hide under the mortals and seek their prey....

I'll admit that the Prussian interpretation of Falkovnia is more personal than canon.

I thought that already ;)....and I am thinking about a more "prussian" domain...with fencing students, a militarist king and citizens who are mad for literature...

[NykylaiHellray]

I like the idea of 'The Wendigo Trail'. Would it be appropriate to add even a creature like the supposed Wendigo here? Perhaps a mist creature that was once a powerful Shaman of Verbrek?

Adding a wendigo was actually the plan And I like that ancient-ritual-idea NykylaiHellray posted !! Perhaps the feared "Bigfoot" that terrorises Redwood-County is no one else than the wendigo ?

Hmmm I think we could make the bigfoot seperate. We could make a very different legend for that one.

Wendigo's where muchs more...different demons, far more evil.

One campain idea for this land, would be that the wendigo escaped from it's lair, and you have to defeat it, and retrap it.




With the bigfoot...hmmmm..... so many possible ideas....need to think about how we could do this.


As for the aztec temple, really cool idea ^___________^

[Undead Cabbage]

I would agree that the Wendigo and Big-Foot stories are different. You'd be better to put a Big-Foot/Yeti type of character in somewhere like Vorostokov.

I recall something about the Wendigo supposedly being able to turn people to ash, and that his prescence was given when you heard a quiet knock in the wind. Of course, I haven't done a huge amount of research on the Wendigo story, and I'm sure it has countless variations.

I can see Lycanthropes being popular in this north-american type realm. Another idea might be to have a mist-way between here and Kartakass, since Kartakass has some evident references to North-American mythos.

[NykylaiHellray]

Mmmm wendigo turns people to ash? I better incoperate that when I get a chance to.


Oh I had another char idea for grand central.

She is a guide to help you a good NPC, that tells you riddles and clues to solving your quest. She is a fortune teller, and does Tarroka cards.

She is known as the lady of the black butterfly.


She is a mysterious woman, who looks 20 though her knowladge extends way beyond her age.

She has many shops it is said, all over the plane of dread. Though all doors all lead to the same shop oddly.

She looks slighty asian in appearance....though at the same time otherworldy. She wears a kimono, whose pattern seems to alter and change the more you stare at it. She does not have much modersty and the kimono is open with nothing underneath (basically you can see a lot of her breasts.....). Her ears are catlike and upon her forehead is a thid eye.

Her black hair is slender and long, and seems to cother the pillows on which she sits.

Her shop is on entropy avenue in the 5th district of grand central.

She offers services but always asks for an unsural gift from each person.

The gift differs from each though usually is somthing of value.

Two animals, guardians or pets, lay in her domain.
One is a spider, and one is a sphinx. Though they appear human most of the time.


"You think that you are trapped here by accident? everything has a purpose young ones. Just because the events that brought you here were random and unplanned. Your destiny has been to come here your whole lives. Every event means somthing, every contact between people has a purpose. Even if you dont believe in fate, fate believes in you - Lady of the black butterfly"

"Dont talk to me about the dark powers, they dont employ me or cotnain me, I am here for my own purposes. No one elses, when I am done here I will leave and go to where my master tells me. The gods of the great wheel? There not my master, my master is somthing older and greater then the great wheel"

(I been watching XXXHolic and hell girl anime.....and I wanted to base a charecter partly on two of the female charecters in each of the two animes)

[Sorti]

What about a forest in which the wind makes you crazy, you get lost and become a wendigo? I've heard about such a legend not long ago... And no Ravenloft player believes in coincidences

[NykylaiHellray]

What about a forest in which the wind makes you crazy, you get lost and become a wendigo? I've heard about such a legend not long ago... And no Ravenloft player believes in coincidences

It is said you become a wendigo when you consume the flesh of another man.


Maybe the main wendigo makes new versions of iteslf, children so to speak by making people mad, twisting there souls into beings like itself.

The wendigo will be interesting to stat. As it is demonic, yet ghostly, and at the same time....is like an aberation.

[Sorti]

Maybe the main wendigo makes new versions of iteslf, children so to speak by making people mad, twisting there souls into beings like itself.

The wendigo will be interesting to stat. As it is demonic, yet ghostly, and at the same time....is like an aberation.

There's a Wendigo template in the Fiend Folio, it's a fey with cold subtype.

Can I post it here? Is it OGL?